Drawer guide



Nov. 26, 1940.

FIGJ.

c. w. KOCH 2,223,071

DRAWER GUIDE Filed May 13, 1940 INVENTOR CLARENCE W. KOCH ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT o ncs nnawnn coma Clarence w. Koch. St. 1.02113, .m. ApplicatlohMay 13, 1940, Serial M23432:

3 Claims.

' My invention relates to a drawer guide for providing anti-friction supporting means for a drawer so that it may be easily moved into and out of the casing in which it is located even when such a drawer is of large size and loaded with drawal without the removal of any of the parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for preventing wood to wood contact between the drawer and casing during the movement of the former in the latter.

Other objects of my invention are to improve the details of construction of a drawer guide of the type referred to.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one form of drawer guide made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, the drawer being shown in its forward position and partially broken away; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the front end of the structure with the drawer in closed position; Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rear end of the drawer.

The casing in which the drawer is located may represent a filing cabinet, the pedestal of a desk or any similar article of furniture. It comprises a top 6, a front wall I, a rear wall 8 and side walls 9. The drawer is formed of a front wall In, a rear wall side walls l2 and a bottom l3. The front wall I is of such height as to fit freely in the drawer opening M in the front wall I of the casing and is provided with the usual drawer pull IS. The side and rear walls of the drawer are, however, of considerably less height so as to provide space above the said side walls for the tracks for supporting the rear end of the drawer.

There are two pairs of these tracks, one pair being placed at each side of the casing. Each pair of tracks is formed by a channel bar l6 secured to the adjacent wall 9 by screws l1. One flange of the channel bar forms the upper track l8 and the'other the lower track l9. Secured to the rear end of the drawer at each side is a bracket 20 carrying a roller 2|. The diameter of the roller 2| is slightly'less than the distance between the tracks l8 and I9 so that the roller may run on either track without contacting the other. When the drawer is in its extreme forward position, as shown in Figure 1, the roller 2| comes into contact with a stop 22 formed by punching out and bending a portion of the web of the angle bar. The lower track l9 terminates slightly to the rear of the roller 2| when the drawer is in its forward position and the portion of the lower flange forward of this point is bent into the plane of the web to form a wear plate 23 5 extending downwardly between the side wall of the casing and the side wall of the drawer.

To support the drawer from the bottom I provide a pair of anti-friction rollers 24 carried in brackets 25 and so positioned as to engage the 20 lower edges of the side walls l2 of the drawer. As direct contact of the roller with the wood is not desirable because of the resultant wear, I apply to the lower edge of each side wall |2 a channel bar 26. The web of this channel bar 5 engages the roller 24 and its outer flange projects between the walls 9 and I2 to form a wear plate 21. The channel is easily and effectively secured in position without the use of nails or screws by slightly compressing or crimping its flanges as shown in Figure 3.

In the operation of my guide when the drawer is in its rear position, the rollers 2| rest on the lower tracks l9, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, and run on these tracks as the drawer moves forward until the projecting portion overbalances the portion within the casing. The rollers will then shift from the lower to the upper track. This shift may occur at either side of the mid position of the drawer due to unequal distribution of the load therein. It is, therefore, desirable to extend the lower tracks as far forward as possible and still permit the downward movement of the rollers 2| .when they have engaged the stops 22. To remove the drawer from the casing its forward end is raised after it has reached the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. This causes the drawer to tilt on the rollers 24 as a fulcrum, lowering the rollers 2| until they can pass under the stops 22. The use of the wear plates 23 and 21 prevents wood to wood contact between the drawer and casing in a'lateral direction and contributes to the smooth running action of the drawer.

Having. fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a drawer, of a casing therefor, upper and lower tracks secured to the casing at each side of the drawer. said tracks being positioned above the side walls of the drawer, a pair of rollers carried by the rear end of the drawer and extending between the tracks to cooperate with one or the other as the balance of the drawer shifts, and a stop preventing the removal of the drawer from the casing until-the forward end of the drawer is raised, said lower bars forming upper and lower tracks, a pair of rollers carried by the rear end of the drawer and extending between the tracks to cooperate with one or the other as the balance of the drawer shifts, and a stop preventing removal of the drawer from the casing until the forward end of the drawer is raised, the forward ends or the lower flange being bent downwardlyto project between the side of the drawer and casing to prevent contact of these parts and to permit the downward movement of the rollers when the forward end of the drawer is raised.

3. The combination with a. drawer, of a casing therefor, a channel bar secured to the casing at each side otthe drawer above the side walls of the drawer, the flanges oi. each of said channel bars forming upper and lower tracks, a pair of rollers carried by the rear end of the drawer and extending between the tracks to cooperate with one or the other as the balance of the drawer shifts, and a stop formed by an integral part of the channel bar for preventing the removal of the drawer from the casing until the forward end of the drawer is raised, the lower flange terminating at a point permitting the downward swing of the rollers when the forward end of the drawer is raised.

CLARENCE W. KOCH. 

